I’ve recently discovered the talented Jennifer McGuire. I love watching her videos and perusing her blog. Her projects inspired me to experiment with Distress Inks, which I have never used before. I bought a small package of spots when they went on sale at Hobby Lobby last week. Tonight I decided to use them and made this card.

Overall, I’m very happy with how it turned out, but I wasn’t sure about the blue/green butterfly. I experimented with some other colors, which you can see below. Please help me finish my card and vote which butterfly looks best here!

As for how I made the card, I used watercolor paper (Tim Holtz brand), and with the Ranger mini round ink blender, I blended 3 colors of Distress Inks: Salty Ocean, Mowed Lawn, and Peacock Feathers. Then, I sprayed some shimmer mist (made with 70% alcohol and shimmer paint) onto a craft sheet and using a paint brush, flicked the liquid all over the watercolor paper. I also did the same thing with plain water, which resulted in larger/lighter splotches.

The word “love” was handwritten in my “fake calligraphy” style on white card stock. Using the same 3 Distress Ink colors, I blended around the edges of the white card stock. Then, I matted the white card stock onto a piece of Stampin’ UP! Pool Party card stock, and another layer of white. That panel is attached to the card with foam tape.

For the butterfly, I stamped the image from Papillon Potpourriin Memento black ink. For the blue/green butterfly, I used the same 3 Distress Inks I used for the background. The other two were made with Distress Ink also–Mustard Seed/Picked Raspberry. I cut out the butterfly using the Elegant Butterfly Punch, then attached it to the card with a stampin dimensional.

I’m a big fan of letterpress. I experimented with L Letterpress before and the results are stunning. The only drawback is that sometimes inking the plates can get a little messy. Stampin UP came out with letterpress plates that are really very easy to use. This one is called Fancy Fan Letterpress Plate. I inked it up with Pool Party ink, directly from the pad. Craft ink is best for the letterpress plates but Pool Party does not come in craft ink, and I was happy with the results anyway.

To use the Letterpress plates, you need the Big Shot. Ink up the plate, place it ink side up on the multipurpose platform with 1 tab. Then, adhere your watercolor paper to a cutting mat with snail or dotto. Place the cutting plate/paper down on the inked letterpress plate and run it through the Big Shot. Lift the cutting plate/paper off gently so as not to smear the ink.

Now for the card details: the base is Lucky Limeade, layered with chocolate chip card stock and the letterpressed watercolor paper. I stamped “congratulations” from Congrats (retired) using SU Markers: Pool Party, Lucky Limeade, Calypso Coral, and Chocolate Chip. That was layered onto a strip of chocolate chip card stock and adhered to the base with glue dots.

The new home stamp is non SU, colored in with Copic Markers and matted with chocolate chip card stock as well.

This is a really versatile masculine card–Father’s Day, Birthday, etc. The stamp is called Sail Away from the latest Mini Catalog.

For the base, I used Pear Pizazz card stock. I stamped the sailboat on Watercolor Paper with Brown Stazon ink and then colored the image with Stampin UP Markers and blended them with an Aquapainter. That was layered on So Saffron card stock.

Across the card, I used Baja Breeze card stock embossed with the Square Lattice Embossing Folder and the Big Shot. On either side, I attached clear Bitty Buttons threaded with Linen Thread.